The Paraguay cédula, or Cédula de Identidad Civil, is the ID Card issued by the Paraguayan National Police. For foreign residents, it becomes a practical document for everyday identification and administrative procedures.
There are two situations to understand: a cédula linked to Temporary Residency and a cédula held after Permanent Residency is approved. The main difference is the immigration status supporting the application and the card’s validity, rather than two completely different identity documents.
Get a cédula: What is the Paraguay cédula used for?
Your cédula identifies you within Paraguay. It is used in banking, tax registration, contracts and many local services. It also helps connect your identity across different administrative records.
| Use | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
Everyday identificationIdentificación personal |
Prove your identity when dealing with public offices and private services. Keep your name and civil status consistent across your documents. |
Bank account and identity checksCuenta bancaria y verificación de identidad |
Use it as part of a bank or platform’s identification process. Each institution still sets its own eligibility, address, income and compliance requirements; a cédula does not guarantee account approval. |
Tax registrationRegistro Único de Contribuyentes — RUC |
It supports your separate tax-registration procedure. The cédula itself is neither a RUC nor a tax-residency certificate. See our RUC guide. |
Residence proceduresTrámites migratorios |
Your ID Card is part of the practical document chain described in our guide when moving from temporary to Permanent Residency. Immigration approval remains a separate decision by Migraciones. |
Contracts and servicesContratos y servicios |
Identify yourself for rental agreements, telephone services and other local procedures, subject to the provider’s rules. |
TravelViajes |
Do not assume a foreign resident’s cédula replaces a passport on every MERCOSUR journey. Acceptance depends on nationality, status, destination and carrier; confirm the specific route before travelling. |
Get a cédula: Temporary and permanent cédula: what are the conditions?
Our free guide describes the usual progression from Temporary Residency to Permanent Residency. The comparison below follows that progression while distinguishing immigration approval from the police identity-card application.
| Condition | Temporary-resident cédulaCédula de residente temporal | Permanent-resident cédulaCédula de residente permanente |
|---|---|---|
Immigration status first |
Approved Temporary Residency under Law 6984/2022, with the relevant Migraciones documents. A filing receipt alone is not the completed residence approval. | Approved Permanent Residency and the corresponding Permanent Residency documents. A change-of-category application still awaiting approval is not permanent status. |
Validity |
Linked to the period of Temporary Residency granted by Migraciones; the standard route in our guide is two years. It is not automatically a new two-year period beginning on the cédula application date. | Our guide describes a ten-year cédula. Check the expiry printed on your issued card. Permanent Residency status and the expiry of its physical documents are different matters. |
First cédula or later card? |
Usually the first cédula application under the standard Law 6984/2022 route. | Could be a first cédula, or a renewal/update after previously holding a temporary-resident cédula. These are different document checklists. |
Main preparation |
Foreign civil and criminal-record documents, approved residence documents, local police certificates and registration; see the first-application table below. | If you already hold a temporary-resident cédula, use the renewal checklist below after Permanent Residency is approved. If you have never held a cédula, use the first-application checklist. |
Where to apply |
Departamento de Identificaciones, Policía Nacional. | Departamento de Identificaciones, Policía Nacional. |
Does it confer citizenship? |
No. You remain a foreign resident. | No. Permanent Residency and the cédula do not automatically grant Paraguayan nationality or a Paraguayan passport. |
Sources: Migraciones: Temporary Residency and Law 6984/2022.
Get a cédula: Documents required: first application versus renewal
The first table covers your first cédula, including an application with Temporary Residency. The second covers renewal when moving from a temporary-resident cédula to a permanent-resident cédula. Document names in Spanish help you request the right item at each office.
1. First cédula with Temporary ResidencyPrimera cédula con radicación temporal
The official source for your first cédula as a temporary resident is the National Police first-application checklist — Articles 24–25, Resolution 717/26. Its heading expressly covers temporary or Permanent Residency, even though the URL mentions Permanent Residency only. The same page also covers a first cédula for someone who already has Permanent Residency.
| Document | Temporary resident | Permanent resident applying for a first cédula |
|---|---|---|
Valid passport or accepted home-country IDPasaporte o documento de identidad vigente |
Notarized copy; keep the original available. | Notarized copy; keep the original available. |
Birth certificateCertificado de nacimiento |
Original, apostilled or legalized; Spanish translation when applicable. | Same first-application requirement. |
Foreign criminal recordCertificado de antecedentes penales del país de origen o residencia |
From age 14; current national/federal record. Confirm the applicable country of origin or qualifying residence in the last three years. | Same first-application requirement. |
Civil-status documents, when applicableDocumentos de estado civil |
Marriage certificate, divorce judgment or spouse’s death certificate, as applicable. | Same first-application requirement. |
Residence certificateCertificado de radicación |
Ask Identificaciones which original certificate is accepted for temporary status. | Original Permanent Residency certificate. |
Residence admission cardCarnet de admisión o residencia |
Approved temporary card; confirm the corresponding accepted notarized copy. | Notarized copy of valid permanent card. |
Foreigner registration cardCarnet del Registro de Extranjeros |
Notarized copy of the valid card. | Same. |
INTERPOL certificateInforme de antecedentes de INTERPOL |
From age 14; authentication by Talento Humano and legalization by Comandancia. | Same. |
Police record for foreignersCertificado de antecedentes para extranjeros |
From age 14; issued by Informática. | Same. |
Life and residence certificateCertificado de vida y residencia |
Local police station or Juzgado de Paz; follow required authentication/legalization. | Same. |
Reference: Police first-application requirements, articles 24–25 of Resolution 717/26. Individual circumstances may require additional documents, including evidence for professional-title registration or for a minor’s legal representation.
2. From a temporary-resident cédula to a permanent-resident cédula
Already have a temporary-resident cédula? First obtain Permanent Residency from Migraciones, then prepare your cédula renewal with Identificaciones. The official source for the checklist below is the National Police renewal requirements — Article 27, Resolution 717/26. Use this renewal section for the temporary-to-permanent transition; the first-application section above is for someone who has never held a cédula. If your current card has not expired, confirm the timing and handling of the update with Identificaciones, since Article 27 refers to an expired card.
| Renewal document | What to prepare |
|---|---|
Existing cédulaCédula anterior |
The expired card for renewal. For loss or theft, the transcription of the police report. For a status update before expiry, bring your current card and confirm the procedure. |
Permanent Residency cardCarnet de admisión permanente |
Notarized copy. |
Home-country identity documentDocumento de identidad del país de origen |
Notarized copy of the valid document. |
Foreigner registration cardCarnet del Registro de Extranjeros |
Notarized copy of the valid card. |
INTERPOL certificateInforme de antecedentes de INTERPOL |
Authenticated by Talento Humano and legalized by Comandancia. |
Life and residence certificateCertificado de vida y residencia |
Issued by the competent local police station or Juzgado de Paz, with required authentication/legalization. |
Paraguayan police recordCertificado de antecedentes policiales |
From age 14; issued by Identificaciones. This is distinct from the Informática certificate for foreigners in the first-application list. |
Reference: Police renewal requirements, article 27 of Resolution 717/26.
Get a cédula: Document images and where to obtain each one
The examples below come from the Destination Paraguay guide, with additional anonymization where necessary. The foreign civil-record illustrations are diagrams, because there is no single international form. They are not application forms or documents you can submit. Click an image to enlarge it.
Documents to arrange in the issuing country
| Document | Where to obtain it | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
Birth certificateCertificado de nacimiento |
The civil registry responsible for your birth record; in some countries, a consular civil-registry service handles births registered abroad. | Request the version accepted for international administrative use, then arrange apostille/legalization and translation where applicable. |
Foreign criminal recordCertificado de antecedentes penales |
The competent national or federal police, justice ministry or criminal-record office of the applicable country. | A local or city-only check may not satisfy a national/federal requirement. The residence application and cédula file are separate: confirm the country and period required for each. |
Marriage certificateCertificado de matrimonio |
The civil registry holding the marriage record. | Required when applicable. Foreign and Paraguayan-issued records have different authentication requirements. |
Divorce judgmentSentencia de divorcio |
The court or authorized registry responsible for the final divorce decision. | Obtain the judicial decision required by the checklist, not merely an informal confirmation of separation. |
Spouse’s death certificateCertificado de defunción del cónyuge |
The civil registry holding the death record. | Applicable to widowed applicants; prepare the accepted original or notarized copy according to where it was issued. |
Passport or identity documentPasaporte o documento de identidad |
Your national passport/identity authority, or the relevant embassy or consulate for an overseas application. | Make sure it remains valid and your identity details match the other documents. Have the required copy authenticated in Paraguay. |
Apostille, translation and notarized copies
Apostille — apostilla: obtain it from the designated authority in the country that issued the document. It authenticates the signature or seal; it is not a translation. Where the apostille route does not apply, follow the Paraguayan consular and Foreign Ministry legalization chain.
Spanish translation — traducción al castellano: the Police checklist accepts a public translator registered in Paraguay, or an authorized foreign public translator whose translation is then apostilled/legalized as required. Have the relevant stamps and apostille translated as well when required.
Notarized copy — copia autenticada por escribanía pública: take the original to a Paraguayan notary. A photocopy, an apostille and a notarized copy perform different functions. Keep originals separate from the copies you submit.
Approved residence documents
Temporary Residency cardCarnet de admisión temporaria
Permanent Residency cardCarnet de admisión permanente
Where: Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, central office at Caballero 201, corner of Eligio Ayala, Asunción, or the authorized office handling your file. These cards follow immigration approval; the Police do not issue them.
Residence certificate — Certificado de Radicación: request it from Migraciones. It is a separate paper certificate, not a copy of the plastic residence card. The first-cédula checklist asks permanent residents for the original; temporary residents should confirm the accepted equivalent.
INTERPOL certificate and proof of local residence
INTERPOL certificateInforme de antecedentes de INTERPOL
Where: INTERPOL Paraguay, Cnel. Gracia and Tte. Rody, Asunción.
For the cédula file, take it through Talento Humano and Comandancia. Check that it will still be valid when you submit.
Life and residence certificateCertificado de vida y residencia
Where: the police station with jurisdiction over your actual Paraguayan address, or the competent Juzgado de Paz.
The guide describes two local witnesses and address evidence. Confirm the local station’s list before visiting. For a police-issued certificate, obtain the required chief/deputy signature and the authentication/legalization chain.
Three different police documents: do not confuse them
| Document shown | Where to obtain it | How it fits the application |
|---|---|---|
Foreigner registration card — leftCarnet del Registro de Extranjeros |
Police Registro de Extranjeros, Guillermo Arias near Tte. Rodi, Sajonia, beside Comisaría Primera, in the INTERPOL basement. | Prepare the current office checklist. The guide describes an application form, photos, notarized identity/residence-card copies and already legalized INTERPOL and Vida y Residencia certificates. A valid notarized registration-card copy appears in both cédula lists. |
Record for foreigners — centreCertificado de antecedentes para extranjeros |
Departamento de Informática, Av. Boggiani and R.I. 2 Ytororó, Asunción. | From age 14 in the first-cédula list. It is not the INTERPOL certificate. |
Police record — rightCertificado de antecedentes policiales |
Departamento de Identificaciones, Denis Roa and Av. Boggiani, Asunción. | From age 14 in the renewal list. The guide also describes the electronic route through Portal Paraguay for eligible users with an electronic identity. Check availability and acceptance for your case. |
Where to authenticate, legalize and submit
| Office | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
Dirección General de Talento Humano |
Authenticate the required police-issued documents before Comandancia legalization. | India Juliana and Torreani Viera, Asunción. |
Comandancia de la Policía Nacional |
Legalize the authenticated police documents required in your file. | Paraguayo Independiente and Chile, Asunción. |
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores |
Complete foreign-document legalization when the consular route applies. | The Police checklist lists 14 de Mayo between Palma and Estrella, Asunción. Confirm the current counter before attending. |
Departamento de Identificaciones |
Submit the cédula application and complete identity/biometric checks. | Denis Roa and Av. Boggiani, Asunción. |
The practical order of the process
- Confirm the residence route and approval. Identify whether you are applying under Law 6984/2022, MERCOSUR or another category, and whether this is your first cédula or a renewal.
- Collect foreign documents. Match names, dates and civil status, then arrange the relevant apostilles/legalizations and Spanish translations.
- Obtain the local certificates. Gather INTERPOL, the appropriate police record and Vida y Residencia, plus your Migraciones documents.
- Complete police authentication and legalization. Follow Talento Humano → Comandancia for the certificates that require it.
- Obtain or check Registro de Extranjeros. The guide places this after preparation of the legalized certificates. Verify the card’s validity.
- Prepare notarized copies. Keep each original with its matching copy, apostille and translation. Check certificate validity against the submission date.
- Attend Identificaciones personally. Submit the file and complete the required photo, fingerprint and identity checks. Keep the receipt and any request for additional evidence.
- Collect and verify the card. Check your name, identity details and expiry. Request correction promptly if anything differs from the supporting records.
Processing time and common questions
The Police first-application page lists an indicative delivery time of 90 working days. Allow separate time for document preparation and any additional checks. Confirm the current processing arrangements with Identificaciones when applying.
Can I apply with only a temporary-residence filing receipt?
Do not treat filing the immigration application as completed approval. Prepare the file while residence is being processed, but confirm the approved residence evidence Identificaciones requires before submitting the cédula application.
Does the permanent cédula replace the residence card?
No. Keep both valid. Migraciones manages residence status and its documentation; Identificaciones manages the cédula.
Do all foreign criminal records have a six-month validity?
No universal period should be assumed. Follow the issuing document’s validity and the receiving authority’s current acceptance rules. The six-month planning reference in the guide must not override either.
What changes for children?
A child needs an individual file and the appropriate parent or guardian documentation. Criminal-record requirements in the cited cédula lists begin at age 14. Confirm representation, consent and personal attendance requirements with Identificaciones; do not apply an adult checklist unchanged.
Does a cédula prove Paraguayan tax residency?
No. The RUC and tax-residency certificate are separate procedures. Read our Paraguay tax-residency explanation before relying on an ID Card for tax purposes.
What if my residence changes from temporary to permanent?
Obtain the Permanent Residency decision and documents first, then prepare the renewal checklist under Article 27 of Resolution 717/26, linked above. The update is handled by Identificaciones and is not automatic. If your existing cédula is still valid, confirm the timing of the update with that office.
Sources and image notes
This article draws on the Destination Paraguay 2026 guide, especially pages 9, 35–43, 49–56 and 83–89, and the official sources linked beside the relevant sections. The images are guide specimens, anonymized examples or explicitly labeled illustrations. They are not proof of a current card design, a valid identity, or an approved application.
Requirements were checked on 2 October 2026. Confirm the checklist for your nationality, residence category and family situation with the receiving authority before submitting documents.